Display rack



Aug. 30, 1938. w, R, MlNTON 2,128,493

DISPLAY RACK Filed July 15', 1956 my: i293.

. W/LBl/f'? If. MINTON. BY

A TTORNE VS Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAYRACK Wilbur R. Minton, Sidney, Ohio Application July 15, 1936, SerialN0. 90,739

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a display rack.

It is an object of my invention to provide such a rack which is capableof presenting actual merchandise of varying descriptions, arranged atdifferent levels, convenient to the angle of vision of the prospectivebuyer.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a rack whereinthe price of the goods will be likewise conveniently displayed to theangle of vision of the prospective buyer.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a rack whereinpackaged goods or merchandise is presented at different levels for easeof removal by the prospective purchaser.

It is. a further object of this invention to provide such. a rack ofcheap construction of great strength, with little weight and with a lowcenter of gravity, wherein merchandise and/or packaged goods of varyingshapes and sizes may be displayed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a display rackwhich may be easily cleaned and which is thus highly sanitary and inwhich is incorporated no fragile material, such as glass, to be brokenby the feet, umbrellas, baskets, etc. of the prospective purchasers.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a display rackwherein the merchandise and/or packaged goods may be conveniently andcompactly stored and from which removal thereof is facilitated.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a structurewherein fancy, ornate design is obviated and wherein the danger toprospective purchasers, due to snagging of apparel is obviated by theavoidance of projections.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a structurewherein a construction is utilized, which'facilitatesthe use ofcontrasting colors to enhance the appearance of the merchandise and/orpackaged goods and of price tags adjacent thereto. i

It is a further object of this-invention to provide such a structurewherein means is provided for easy attachment and detachment of pricetags and/or labels to. and from apart of the structure adjacent thegoods displayed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such means wherebythe price tag and/or label may be presented to the vision of aprospective purchaser at an angle substantially parallel to the angle ofpresentation of the goods to which price tags and/ or labels refer.

These and other advantages will appear from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the drawing."

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a display rack constructed accordingto the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the structure illustrated inFigure I and Figure 3 is a sectional view in elevation taken on the line3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the framework of the display rackcomprises a vertical rear panel I, to the ends of which is suitablyattached, by means of bolts, rivets or the like, a pair of angles 2 ofL-section. For the purpose of additional strength, a central anglemember 3, likewise of L-seotion, is secured, in Vertical disposition, tothe central portion of the panel I.

Side panels 4 are attached at their rear ends to the forwardly extendingsides of the angles 2; These side panels 4 extend substantiallytwothirds as high as the rear panel I. Also attached to the forward andtop inner edges of the side panels 4 are angles 5 which follow theforward and top outlines of the side panels 4 and which are rigidlysecured at their top rear ends to the angles 2.

An'angle 6, similar to the angles 5, is preferably secured midway of thestructure, at its upper rear end to the angle 3. Similar brackets I aresecured at their ends respectively to the angles 2 and 5 and to theangles 2 and 6. These brackets I provide a support for the lower shelfof the display rack, as Will be hereinafter more clearly described. Theforward top corners of the side panels 4 are inclined in order toaccommodate the intermediate shelf 8 which is secured to the topsurfaces of the angles 5 and 6.

' The shelf 8 which is horizontal is preferably formed integrally with adiagonal shelf portion 9 which is suitably inclined to the horizontaland which diagonal shelf 9 is provided with a continuation in the formof a perpendicular extension Ill which terminates in a flange II whichis substantially parallel to the diagonal shelf 9. Vertical bent-upportions I2 are provided at the ends of the diagonal shelf 9.

The flange I I is provided with a channel member Ila having its upperand lower edges bent over upon themselves to provide a channel forslidably supporting price tickets or cards. The tickets or cards may beinserted at the ends of member Ila. and adjusted longitudinally thereofuntil disposed adjacent, and in front of, the merchandise to which theyrefer.

Rigidly secured to the brackets I in the same manner in which the shelf8 is secured to the angles 5 and 6 is a substantially horizontal shelfI3, with which is integrally formed a diagonal shelf I4 somewhat similarto the diagonal shelf 9. The diagonal shelf I4 has a perpendicularcontinuation I5 similar to the continuation II] of the diagonal shelf 9which terminates in the flange I6 which is substantially parallel to thediagonal shelf I l. The flange I6 is provided with a channel memberI611. similar to the channel member Ila and disposed in the samerelation with respect thereto.

As will clearly appear from Figures 2 and 3, the diagonal shelves 9 andI4 are disposed at dilferent angles to the horizontal, the shelf I4being more nearly horizontal, for reasons which will hereinafter moreclearly appear. Below the lower shelf and rigidly secured to the angles5 and 6 is the front panel I'I.

Attached at their rear ends to the top ends of the angles 2 and 3 arehorizontally disposed angles I8 which are supported at their forwardends by the vertically disposed standards I9. The standards I9 rest uponthe horizontal portion 8 of the intermediate shelf and are rigidlysecured to this portion 8 and the upper surfaces of the angles 5 and 6therebeneath. Rigidly secured to the horizontally disposed flanges ofthe angles I8 is the top shelf I9a which is preferably in the form of asolid panel. A strip 20 is secured to the forward surface of the upperend of each of the standards I9. Secured to this strip 20, by means ofbolts, rivets or the like, is a channel member 2| having its top andbottom edges bent over upon themselves and forwardly disposed in orderto provide means for slidably supporting price tickets or cards whichmay be inserted at the ends of these members and adjusted longitudinallyin the channel formed therein, as may be desired.

As before stated, the diagonal shelves or shelf portions 9 and I4 andtheir substantially parallel flanges II and I6 are disposed at differentangles too the horizontal, the angularity of the shelf 9 being greaterthan that of the shelf I l. The channel member 2| is preferably at thenormal eye level of the prospective purchaser. Although the eye levelwill vary somewhat, a mean eye level has beenchosen. The prospectivepurchaser may be expected to pass rather close to the display rack and,during this passage, the eye of the purchaser may, due to the preferredangularity of the diagonal shelves 9 and I 4, sweep downwardly from thesubstantially horizontal angle, at which the channel member M ispresented, to the diagonal shelf 9, its flange II and price ticketssupported in channel member Ila. and thence to the diagonal shelf I4 andits flange I6 and price tickets supported in channel member I6a thereon.

Merchandise such as cans or packages are preferably stacked in reserveupon the horizontal portions 8 and I3 of the lower and intermediateshelf and upon the top shelf I8. Other packages or cans are placedforwardly of the reserve cans or packages upon the: diagonal shelves 9and M.

The display rack disclosed is particularly suitable for use in stores orshops of self-service type, and the particularly desirable features ofthe display rack are that the goods are supported within easy reach andin the normal field of vision of the prospective purchaser. Furthermore,the provision of storage space upon the horizontal portions 8 and I3 ofthe shelves below the normal horizontal line of vision increases thefield of vision of the article so displayed and likewise provides areserve from which the shelves 9 and It may conveniently be kept filledby the attendant.

An additional feature of the display rack is the accessibility for thepurpose of cleaning and for the purpose of repainting. The use of awhite background for the display of colored can goods and. other highlycolored packages has been found extremely effective. Likewise, the useof black upon the flanges II and I6, their associated channel members Naand Mia, and the continuations or extensions I and I for the purpose ofproviding contrast for price tags, tickets or labels has been foundextremely effective.

' The use of display racks constructed according to the principles of myinvention results in a greater economy of floor space than has beenheretofore achievable. The provision of storage space in the displayracks makes replacement of the display easy and quick. The utmost degreeof visibility of the merchandise is provided and the low cost ofmanufacture makes the display rack available to merchants who have beenheretofore prevented from purchasing needed equipment of this characterbecause of the former great expense of such equipment.

It will be understood that the above-described structure is merelyillustrative of one manner in which my invention may be carried out andthat I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications asmay be within the scope of the claims and the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A display rack for packaged goods having three shelves and a backwall secured to all of said shelves and providing a back wall for eachof the lower two shelves, one of said shelves being disposedhorizontally at substantially eye level, the second of said shelvesbeing disposed slightly below the horizontal eye level and having adiagonal portion substantially perpendicular to the angle of vision, thethird of said shelves being disposed below said second shelf and havinga diagonal portion nonparallel to the diagonal portion of said secondshelf, the plane of the diagonal portion of said third shelf beingsubstantially perpendicular to the normal angle of vision, supportingstandards secured between the front of said first shelf and said secondshelf for cooperation with said back wall to rigidly space said firstand second shelves with respect to one another, and common end Wallsrigidly secured to said second and third named shelves respectively andadapted to cooperate with said common back wall to rigidly support saidsecond and third named shelves in fixed spaced relationship.

2. A display rack for packaged goods having three shelves connected by aback wall rigidly secured thereto, one of said shelves being disposedhorizontally at substantially eye level, the second of said shelvesbeing disposed slightly below the horizontal eye level and having thediagonal portion substantially perpendicular to the angle of vision, thethird of said shelves being disposed below said second shelf and havinga diagonal portion non-parallel to the diagonal portion of said secondshelf, the plane of the diagonal portion of said third shelf beingsubstantially perpendicular to the normal angle of vision, said secondand third shelves being provided at each end with a, common end wallrigidly secured thereto, and supporting brackets rigidly secured betweensaid first and second shelves, said back wall, said end walls and saidbrackets cooperating to rigidly connect said shelves in spacedrelationship,

WILBUR R. MINTON.

